Visual recognition and sensor fusion weight detection system and method

Abstract

Disclosed are visual recognition and sensor fusion weight detection system and method. An example method includes: tracking, by a sensor system, objects and motions within a selected area of a store; activating, by the sensor system, a first computing device positioned in the selected area in response to detecting a presence of a customer within the selected area; identifying, by the sensor system, the customer and at least one item carried by the customer; transmitting, by the sensor system, identifying information of the customer and the at least one item to a computing server system via a communication network; measuring, by the first computing device, a weight of the at least one item; transmitting, by the first computing device, the weight to the computing server system via the communication network; and generating, by the computing server system, via the communication network, transaction information of the at least one item.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system deployed within a communication network, the system comprising:
 a processor coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and configured to control a plurality of modules to execute instructions for:
 tracking objects and motions within a selected area of a store based on one or more sensors or cameras within the store; 
 in response to detecting a presence of a customer carrying at least one item within the selected area, activating a computing device positioned within the selected area to measure a weight of the at least one item; 
 weighing the at least one item using the computing device; 
 obtaining identifying information of the customer and the at least one item carried by the customer; and 
 transmitting the weight of the at least one item, the identifying information of the customer and the at least one item to the computing server system via the communication network. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cameras and sensors configured to track the objects and motions within the selected area of the store. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is configured to store information relating to one or more characteristics of each item for sale in the store. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 detect the presence of the customer in relation to a location of the computing device within the selected area; and 
 capture one or more images of the customer in response to detecting that the customer is within a selected distance of the computing device. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 generate a unique identifier for the customer; 
 associate the one and more images of the customer with the unique identifier; and 
 continuously accumulate and store information relating to the customer on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium at different locations and times in the store in connection with the unique identifier prior to a final check out by the customer. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 detect characteristics of the customer and surrounding objects obtained inside and outside the selected area for identifying the customer. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 apply a weight to each detected characteristic of the customer, wherein facial features of the customer are configured to carry a greater weight than that of a color and texture details of an upper body clothes of the customer; and 
 determine a threshold for the customer presented in the selected area in connection with a total weight of all detected characteristics of the customer. 
 
     
     
       8. A method, comprising:
 tracking, by a system, objects and motions within a selected area of a store based on one or more sensors or cameras within the store; 
 in response to detecting a presence of a customer carrying at least one item within the selected area, activating, by the system, a computing device positioned within the selected area to measure a weight of the at least one item; 
 weighing the at least one item using the computing device 
 obtaining, by the system, identifying information of the customer and the at least one item carried by the customer; and 
 transmitting, by the system, the weight of the at least one item, the identifying information of the customer and the at least one item to the computing server system via the communication network. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising storing, by the system, information relating to one or more characteristics of each item for sale in the store. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the system, the presence of the customer in relation to a location of the computing device within the selected area; and 
 capturing, by a plurality of cameras and sensors of the system, one or more images of the customer in response to detecting that the customer is within a selected distance of the computing device. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 generating, by the system, a unique identifier for the customer; 
 associating, by the system, the one and more images of the customer with the unique identifier; and 
 continuously accumulating and storing information relating to the customer, by the system, at different locations and times in the store in connection with the unique identifier prior to a final check out by the customer. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the system, characteristics of the customer and surrounding objects obtained inside and outside the selected area for identifying the customer. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 applying, by the system, a weight to each detected characteristic of the customer, wherein facial features of the customer are configured to carry a greater weight than that of a color and texture details of an upper body clothes of the customer; and 
 determining, by the system, a threshold for the customer presented in the selected area in connection with a total weight of all detected characteristics of the customer. 
 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for a system deployed in a communication network, the instructions being configured for:
 tracking objects and motions within a selected area of a store based on one or more sensors or cameras within the store; 
 in response to detecting a presence of a customer carrying at least one item within the selected area, activating a computing device positioned within the selected area to measure a weight of the at least one item; 
 weighing the at least one item using the computing device; 
 obtaining identifying information of the customer and the at least one item carried by the customer; and 
 transmitting the weight of the at least one item, the identifying information of the customer and the at least one item to the computing server system via the communication network. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , further comprising instructions for storing information relating to one or more characteristics of each item for sale in the store. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:
 detecting the presence of the customer in relation to a location of the computing device within the selected area; and 
 capturing, by a plurality of cameras and sensors of the system, one or more images of the customer in response to detecting that the customer is within a selected distance of the computing device. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions for:
 generating a unique identifier for the customer; 
 associating the one and more images of the customer with the unique identifier; and 
 continuously accumulating and storing information relating to the customer at different locations and times in the store in connection with the unique identifier prior to a final check out by the customer. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , further comprising instructions for:
 detecting characteristics of the customer and surrounding objects obtained inside and outside the selected area for identifying the customer. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , further comprising instructions for:
 applying a weight to each detected characteristic of the customer, wherein facial features of the customer are configured to carry a greater weight than that of a color and texture details of an upper body clothes of the customer; and 
 determining a threshold for the customer presented in the selected area in connection with a total weight of all detected characteristics of the customer.